Press Contact: Dennis Punch (704) 530-4754
Daytona Beach, FL (June 29, 2006) … The Thetford / Norcold Racing Team with drivers Chris Dyson and Guy Smith scored their second top fifteen finish at Daytona International Speedway this season with a 13th-place performance in the Brumos Porsche 250 on Thursday evening. The duo, joined by Rob Dyson, finished 14th in the season-opening Rolex 24 At Daytona in January.
The annual summer visit to Daytona International Speedway for the Brumos Porsche 250 is unique in the fact that practice, qualifying, and the 250-mile race are all scheduled for the same day. The “one day show” for the Rolex Series teams was complicated this year with technical difficulties in the communication between race control and track safety officials resulted in the cancellation of the late morning practice as well as qualifying. The Rolex Series opted to grant a brief practice session in the early afternoon and set the starting grid by team points. With the #16 Thetford / Norcold Racing Team from Howard-Boss Motorsports racing a limited Rolex Series schedule this season, the Dyson / Smith duo would be positioned 23rd on the grid for the 70-lap event.
Guy Smith was selected to race the first stint of the Brumos Porsche 250 for the Thetford / Norcold Team. However, on the pace and parade laps, concern for the oil pressure in the Pontiac Crawford forced Smith to make a quick visit to pit road. After the oil pressure sensor was inspected and OK’d by the Thetford / Norcold crew, Smith started the race from the rear of the field.
Two laps into the Brumos Porsche 250, a three-car incident in turn three brought out a full course caution. Little did everyone know at the time that these three laps under caution would be the only caution laps of the event. Smith restarted in 20th position on lap six and began to gain positions lap after lap. On lap 22, Smith raced into the tenth position as teams were beginning to make green flag pitstops. On lap 28, Smith spun when entering the infield portion of the 3.56-mile course, but made no contact and was able to resume racing. However, the spin did result in the loss of several positions on the track.
Smith was running in the 12th position when he brought the #16 Thetford / Norcold Pontiac Crawford to pit road for service and a driver change. Chris Dyson took the controls and reentered the race in 15th on lap 36. During the remaining laps, Dyson would drive a competitive pace and gain several positions in the running order. However, the deficit was too large to overcome and the Thetford / Norcold Team would take the checkered flag with a 13th-place finish in the Brumos Porsche 250.
The next Rolex Series race for the #16 Thetford / Norcold Racing Team will be the Crown Royal 200 at Watkins Glen International on Friday, August 11th.
